RUN to your post office and get them while they're here - the lady behind the counter was impressed that I knew about them so early. I said, "Are you kidding, I've been waiting for these for months!" Anyway, she thinks they'll sell out soon, so if you want them, go get 'em... we got 4 sets and I'm thinking of ordering more. :)

And of course, the quote says:

"When I was young, my ambition was to be one of the people who made a difference in this world. My hope is to leave the world a little better for my having been there."

ps ~ the pic of Jim with Kermit, is retouched as far as I know... the original photo I've always seen in that pose, he's holding Bert.

pps ~ Sophie was able to correctly identify everyone on the stamps (exept Statler and Waldorf, she knew who they were but not their names) including Jim Henson. Clearly, we're bringing that child up right....

So after a gazillion false starts, all of something totally different, I let my mind wander and this is what happened.

This is a work in progress. With a tip o' the hat to Anonymous, I invite serious feedback this week. Constructive criticism, please. Should I watercolor it? Paint a version as big as me? Only do the top half? Leave it alone? What? I have been toying with doing something with layers of acetate and tracing paper, but I really have no idea. Make me think.

ps ~ If you hate it, that's fine. I'm a big girl. You can tell me.

category | Illustration Friday

Taken from one of Paul's childhood Richard Scarry books - now one of Sophie's favorites.

Does anyone else find this disturbing?

Closeup, in case you missed it the first time:

She's feeding her family BACON!

Our version is from 1968... the book is abridged now, and what's been cut? Hmmmm...

(from an Amazon.com review:) They removed 4 stories from the original: busy (stay at home) mom, water treatment plants, electricity and how we get it, and Sgt. Murphy the Busytown policeman.

Wonder why? Some reviewers complain that the women's roles are sexist. But we know the real truth:


Baaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaacon!

Congratulations! Kendra Drury Vanasse is the new proud owner of a french toast girl original painting! Thanks to Kendra, a generous donation will be made to the Mercy Corps Hurricane Katrina Fund.

I kind of like the idea of sending out this painting and giving it a new home - maybe I'll get to the point where it doesn't take a disaster for me to part with a piece of my art and I could (gasp!) actually sell originals and let them fly free.

Check out this article about a giant knitted pink bunny. [via Loobylu]

"An enormous pink bunny has been erected on an Italian mountainside where it will stay for the next 20 years."

My first thought was, how cool! But then after sending it around, too many questions came up, like, how many mice are going to be living in this thing in 20 years? What kind of rot is going to set in? My boss thinks its all an elaborate photoshop hoax, and no matter how much I really want to believe that it was "knitted by dozens of grannies out of pink wool", I still find it hard to swallow.

This can't possibly be real.... can it?

ps ~ More Big Bunny (of the demented sort) here. Make sure you listen to the theme song.

Autobiography in Five Chapters
By Portia Nelson

Chapter I

I walk down the street.
There is a deep hole in the sidewalk.
I fall in.
I am lost... I am helpless.
It isn't my fault.
It takes forever to find a way out.

Chapter II

I walk down the same street.
There is a deep hole in the sidewalk.
I pretend I don't see it.
I fall in again.
I can't believe I'm in the same place, but it isn't my fault.
It still takes a long time to get out.

Chapter III

I walk down the same street.
There is a deep hole in the sidewalk.
I see it is there.
I still fall in...it's a habit.
My eyes are open.
I know where I am.
It is my fault.
I get out immediately.

Chapter IV

I walk down the same street.
There is a deep hole in the sidewalk.
I walk around it.

Chapter V

I walk down another street.

category | Illustration Friday

Things may look a little different as I try to clean up the code on the page - please bear with me! By the way, I think I finally got my site feed to work, so feel free to blogroll away! (Um... and if it doesn't work, please tell me.)

ps ~ more good works: Patrick McDonnell of Mutts fame is auctioning off an original, hand-colored Sunday strip and donating 100% of the proceeds to the Humane Society's work to aid animals in need in the devastated areas left behind by Hurricane Katrina. (I had the honor of scanning it in, and let me tell you, it's gorgeous!) Go check it out here.

I'm wordless. You make up a caption.

9/11 and Katrina have brought about lots of memories, lots of feelings of helplessness, lots of panic and nightmares of terroristic things happening to my own children. Not too much I can do about it but to try to hug them lots and pray till it passes. Everything I do seems like just a drop in the bucket.

I've been playing this song as much as I can until I can get the CD (out tomorrow; that's something to look forward to).

Like so many girls, Jenny Wren could sing
But a broken heart took her song away
Like the other girls, Jenny Wren took wing
She could see the world and its foolish ways
How we spend our days casting love aside
Losing sight of life, day by day
She saw poverty, breaking all the home
Wounded warriors, took her song away
But the day will come, Jenny Wren will sing
When this broken world mends its foolish ways
Now we spend our days catching up on life
All because of you, Jenny Wren

(from Paul McCartney's new album, which you can sample here .)

Once again, I'm auctioning an original painting for charity. I will donate 100% of the proceeds of the sale to the Hurricane Katrina relief efforts (Mercy Corps Katrina Relief Fund).


(detail above; click here for full image)

The painting measures 18"x24" with an image area of 16"x22" and is painted on acid-free, recycled bristol board with a vellum finish, using acrylics and coloured pencil.

Ever since the hurricane, I've had sleepless nights, unable to get images from the news reports out of my head. All I can think about is how I would feel if anything happened to our children - how do you explain to a baby that there's nothing for her to eat or drink? Or where her home is? I've been hugging my babies especially tight right now and praying hard.

Our hearts go out to all affected by this disaster - especially the children. It's my hope that every child and family affected by this tragedy will be able to follow their dreams and still reach for the stars.

The auction is here on eBay and will be running until close to midnight on September 12.

Even if you've already made a donation and won't be be bidding here, please spread the word and post a link if you have a blog or forward this in an email - every cent will be donated to the disaster relief efforts, and every penny can help.

Illustration Friday: Roots

I think many times, what's going on under the surface is more interesting than what the rest of the world sees.

A defining concept from the Artist's Way is the need to nurture and protect your new and growing ideas before exposing them to the rest of the world and allowing them to be hurt. Know that for every little fragile shoot emerging out of the dust, there's a widespread and deep system of roots to support it. Right now; I have lots and lots of roots and a few brand new shoots starting to be brave and stick their heads up.


p.s. ~ Just wanted to let everyone know a previous Illustration Friday painting of mine is being auctioned to raise funds for Mercy Corps Hurricane Katrina Fund. Here's your chance to own an original painting and to do some good for people so desperately in need of help.

p.p.s ~ Check out also Art For Katrina, a site where many other artists are donating their work and efforts.

I did it! At long last, and after starting on four seperate occasions since 1997, I FINALLY FINISHED THE ARTIST'S WAY! I truly think this time was different - whether it's because I was more ready for it, or had a stronger support system, or because I made my self accountable by sending weekly updates and emails, or because I finally faced my fears head-on - I honestly don't know. Maybe it was a combination of all of the above. I signed a contract with myself for the next three months to continue doing my morning pages (and drew a big rainbow on it). I have a plan outlined for the next few months to help me reach my goals, and I have a dedicated support system I keep in touch with on a regular basis. ps ~ If you signed up for the weekly email updates, I can't tell you how much it's helped me, and I hope it's helped you too. (You get one more email this weekend....)